Animal-trainer.



No. 876,047. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

- T. R. FELTS.

ANIMAL TRAINER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1907.

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THE NORRIS PETERS co.. wasummou THOMAS RUFUS FELTS, OF SELMA, ALABAMA.

ANIMAL-TRAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed June 11 Serial N0. 378 430| T 0 all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. FELTs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Selma, in the county ofDallas, State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Trainers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the general class of animal trainers but is moreparticularly adapted for training the leg action of the horse andconsists of certain means whereby all defects in the leg action of thehorse may be remedied without injury to the animal.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a trainer embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the trainer. Fig. 3 is a rearelevation of the same.

1 represents a band provided with the straps 2 and buckles 3, by meansof which it is secured around the front leg of a horse above the knee. 4is a similar band some what narrower provided with similar buckles andstraps whereby it is secured to the front leg of'a horse below thepastern. As will be seen from the drawing, the buckles and straps uponthese two bands are positioned in front of the leg.

5 is a strap, of very heavy elastic, one end of which is securedpermanently to the band 4 by means of the loop 6.

7 is a strap secured to the upper end of the elastic strap 5 which isadapted to be secured to the band 1 by means of the buckle 8. This heavyelastic strap is positioned on the bands 1 and 4 so that it will beimmediately in the rear of the leg when the bands 1 and 4 are secured inproper positions. The strap 7, by means of a series of holes, is adaptedto put more or less tension upon the elastic strap as the strap islengthened or shortened, thus increasing or diminishing the tension uponthe horses foot.

- 8 and 9 are elastic straps secured diametrically op osite each otherpermanently to the band 4 by means of suitable loops or rings'lO. To theupper end of the straps 8 and 9 are rigidly secured straps l1 and 12 resectively, provided with a series of holes an adapted to engage thebuckles 3 on the band 1.

As stated, the object of this invention is to give proper action in thefront legs of the horse and to cure defects in the leg action. If theleg action is straight, the elastic straps 5, 8 and 9 may be tightenedby means of the strap 7, 11 and 12 so that any number of pounds orounces can-be drawn as will in the opinion of the user give thenecessary knee action. In case the animal has a tendency to throw thefront feet inward, greater tension is placed upon the outside elasticstrap 8 whereby the foot is drawn outward to one side when lifted fromthe ground. In the event that the animal. has too great an outward throwof the foot, the inside elastic strap 9 is tightened so as to increasethe tension, thereby drawing the foot inward when it is lifted from theground.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided by my invention, anadjustable trainer whereby the gait of the animal in the front legs canbe governed at will by regulating the tension through the elastic strapsthus increasing or diminishing the tension as the circumstances may reuire.

It will be noted that the e astic stra 5 is materially heavier than theother e astic straps and naturally will result in givin a greatertension to the foot and lower eg than the other straps and its functionis to not only take care of the knee action but to assist the otherstraps in holding the leg straight.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction ofmy invention without departing from the scope thereof, and hence, I donot wish to be limited to said details of construction shown What isclaimed is:

1. In a trainer for animals, the combina tion with bands ada ted to besecured to the leg of an animal, 0 means to increase the throw of thefoot of an animal toward the rear, and independent means to increase thethrow of the foot to one side.

2. In a trainer for animals, the combination with bands adapted to besecured respectively above the knee and below the pastern on the frontleg of a horse, of an adjustable elastic member connecting the two bandsat the rear, and an adjustable elastic member connecting the bands oneach side of the leg.

3. In a trainer for animals, the combination with bands adapted to besecured respectively above the knee and below the pastern on the frontleg of a horse, of an elastic member connected at its lower end to theband positioned below the astern, an inelastic adjusting member rigi ysecured to the upper end of the elastic member, means providing anadjustable connection between the inelastic member and the band securedabove the knee of the animal, elastic members secured at their lowerends to the band below the pastern and relatively weaker than thefirst-mentioned elastic member, inelastic adjusting straps rigidlysecured to the upper end of the side elastic members and means connectedto the band above the knee providing an adjustable connection betweensaid band and said side members 10 and their inelastic straps.

The foregoing specification signed at Selma, Alabama this 26th day ofJanuary,

THOMAS RUFUS FELTS. In presence of L. E. JEFFRIEs,

E. W. PETTUs, Jr.

